Speaker
James Caan CBE
James Caan CBE is an investor and one of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs. Having graduated from Harvard Business School, James is the founder of two recruitment companies with a combined turnover of £1bn. James is a firm favourite keynote speaker with clients such as Google, Santander and Samsung, and his topics range from staff engagement and leadership to the impact of technology on the business landscape.
About James Caan
James Caan was awarded a CBE in 2015 for his work in philanthropy and entrepreneurship. Contrary to popular belief, he was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth and left school at 16 with nothing but empty pockets and an unwavering drive for success. This drive undoubtedly paid off and he became one of the investors on BBC’s Dragon’s Den, championing entrepreneurs and their importance to the UK economy.
James Caan now owns one of the leading investors in recruitment, Hamilton Bradshaw, which has a turnover in excess of £150million. The company specialises in buyouts, venture capital, turnarounds and real estate investment.
In May 2012, James was approached by the Government to chair the Start Up Loans initiative, designed to provide funding to and help small business start-up. While the scheme was initially intended to help 1000 businesses obtain investments, the scheme has actually gone on to provide funding and mentorship to more than 50,000 business to date.
